A Shared Dream
by Twinkling
Summary: Bella has a nightmare, Jasper's POV. Set after Eclipse. Everyone is at the Cullen's home. ExB, JxA In true Twilight form it's full of love, pain and drama. Everyone is in-character, may contain spoilers. Please R&R. Enjoy
1. Chapter 1: Happiness

**Chapter one is kind of the "set up". The really good stuff starts in chapter two so keep reading! Chapter two and three are the core of the story and the parts I had to 'get out on paper'. Enjoy!**

**I own nothing of Twilight. This world and it's inhabitants are the creation and property of Stephenie Meyer.**

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**_A Shared Dream: Chapter 1, Happiness. _**

_**(Impromptu family night at the Cullen's house. Takes place soon after Eclipse. Jasper's POV.)**_

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Pure happiness. That's how I'm feeling right now and it's all I can ever wish for. This is no simple feat. It's not a matter of choosing the glass to be half full on my part. Oh, how I wish life were so simple. Complete, peaceful, easy happiness for me means an environment free of the suffering of others. Free of doubt, worry, tension and pain. And this is a rare thing indeed. Well, at least with my personal history it's come to be something I treasure. I've lived a life filled with wars, battlefields, death and killing. Oh yes, and years and years... _and years_ of high school. If war doesn't teach you a thing or two about suffering then sitting through class after class overflowing with teenage angst will do the job. 

And so, I've learned how to fully appreciate happiness. And I appreciate that tonight my home is filled with contentment, peace, happiness and love. I can't help but take in my surroundings yet again. Most of our family is lounging around the living room. Three couches wrap around a coffee table and an entertainment system stands against the wall. Emmett was sitting on the couch across from me, but he's ended up sitting on the floor, scooting ever closer to the television. He's holding a video game controller in his hands, a look of intense determination on his face with low snarls occasionally pulling from his lips. Every time I beat him he inches toward the television again as if his proximity to the screen will turn the tables in his favor. I'm sitting on the far right arm of my couch... Bella and Edward are on the middle couch to my left. I'm not thirsty and the scent really hasn't been an issue of late, and Alice hasn't detected any problems for me in the near future. This is comfortable though. Distance is simply easier.

Alice is still happily digging around online. She's sitting cross legged on the floor in front of the coffee table with her back to the television, her eyes focused on her laptop and her fingers clicking away on the keys. Wedding books and magazines are scattered all around her, on the floor and the table.

An hour ago she'd been pointing out wedding details and options to Bella. Flowers, colors, fabrics, locations, decorations, catering, on and on... Bella did an amazing job at hiding her dread at Alice's grand schemes. That, and Alice did an amazing job at ignoring Bella's dread. I could clearly feel Bella's pent up emotions. From my 'inside view' she seemed constantly on the verge of grabbing Edward and making a mad dash for Vegas, but every time she'd hesitate just long enough to see Alice's face beaming up at her and a grin would cross her face in return. Love and happiness would swell inside her overpowering the embarrassment and insecurities. The hesitant smile was confirmation enough for Alice. My little pixie would immediately nod her head and delve back into the stack of wedding magazines.

It must have been a long evening for Bella. Alice had picked her up from Charlie's this afternoon giving Charlie some story about another girl's night sleep over, so Edward's little fiance had no escape from her enthusiastic wedding planner. Even after Bella curled up in Edward's lap and fell asleep there was no slowing Alice. She continues to gleefully dig around on the Internet for more and more elaborate wedding plans. Every so often an excited squeal interrupts her quiet humming as she stumbles upon some new treasure to add to the wedding to-do list.

Carlisle and Esme are home too. Carlisle got home late from the hospital and they've been chatting in the kitchen. Just casual conversation, mostly about work but I don't pick up on the quiet words as much as I do the feelings and they have the same air of contentment surrounding them that's adding to the overall peace of the house.

Emmett let out a low, appreciative whistle. My eyes snap to his seat on the floor but the sound was not directed to me, Rosalie is slowly making her grand entrance down the stairs. Bella is dosing in Edwards arms and has been for the last 20 minutes. Apparently, being certain that Bella was out for the night was Rosalie's queue to join us.

Rosalie flashed a pleased look in return to Emmett. Her eyes took in the pizza box and empty plate left on the coffee table next to Alice's laptop and then she shot a glare straight at Edward.

"Seriously, Edward. That's disgusting. This whole room smells like the high school cafeteria. If you're going to be entertaining a human in our living room, could you at least clean up after yourself?" And with a flip of her hair she strode across the room to sit on the far couch behind her husband. Nose held high, she's still attempting to look put out by the aroma of pizza dough and tomato sauce.

Emmett chuckled. Her show didn't fool anyone. We all know Rosalie's 'Irritated-by-Bella' act is just a stubborn habit now. And it's fading fast. Every day she lets the walls down more and more. In truth, her irritation has vanished entirely, now she merely struggles with changing the old habit. She keeps her distance lately only to avoid awkward scenes. Rosalie unquestionably wants to be the center of attention, but she wants to be there alone, shining in all her glory, not humbled and _welcoming _next to a human girl. She's also got a stubborn streak which doesn't want her to admit she may have ever been wrong or quick to judge.

Edward rolled his eyes in return, playing at being irritated. With the whole family at home safe and happy, including Bella in his arms he couldn't maintain any level of real irritation towards Rosalie. Besides, he has a better look past her facade than I do. I know Rosalie isn't honestly put out at Bella's presents like she acts, but Edwards knows the exact thoughts behind her newfound acceptance of his fiance.

With a mock exasperated sigh directed at Rosalie, he adjusts Bella on the couch and slides out from under her. After pressing a quick kiss on her forehead and making sure she remains comfortably sleeping he picks up the remains of dinner and walks to the kitchen with them.

Emmett and I are still going at it with the video game. I can't help but laugh this time as I win another round. It's not entirely fair. He's working with a broken controller, but he won't admit that he busted a button an hour ago. Breaking the controller is a big "game-over, you lose". Keeping the flimsy plastic buttons intact is all a part of the game.

And then it hit me.


	2. Chapter 2: Agony

**I own nothing of Twilight. This world and it's inhabitants are the creation and property of Stephenie Meyer.**

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_**A Shared Dream: Chapter 2, Agony.**_

**_(Jasper's POV.)_**

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Agony hit me like a wrecking ball. No, not just agony. Agony was like the mighty crash of a tidal wave but within the wave, within the black waters furious emotions swirled. Shock, fear, confusion, loss, pain. _So much pain._ The jarring pain rocked through my body and I stumbled forward off the arm of the couch, gasping. The game controller fell from my numb fingers, forgotten. Unimportant. My head spun, my eyes searched immediately for the only being that could save me. The only creature who could pull me from this suffering. Alice. And she was there, rushing to me. Arms out, rushing to save me before I was overcome. I could see her lips moving, _almost_ hear her calling my name, I could almost, _almost_ sense her panic too, but the agony was a roaring storm still encasing me. 

I can sense my family around me, but nothing and no one is solid. Like the tidal wave of emotion had flooded into our living room and turned the very foundation of our home into water too. The walls and windows blurred out, the furniture swayed in my stupor. Unimportant. Not real.

The only clear image was Alice. _Alice._ Alice was real. "Alice!"

The moment she reached me I pulled her into me. I clung onto her tiny form like a life preserver. My arms wrapped around her shoulders and back. With one hand I held her head to my chest. This clear image of Alice in my arms was the only link I still had to reality. To my life, to my family, to everything I'd ever known and wanted. My arms loosened the slightest, just enough to allow Alice's concerned eyes to meet with mine. I blinked and focused on her. Yes, Alice was here. Alice is here. Everything's fine. I know she'll be by my side always, holding my hand always, loving me always.

"Alice." I breathed her name and felt my lungs begin working again. Air came in and out, I was alive. Alice always makes me feel alive.

But gazing down at her troubled face the fear again consumed me. It raged up my spine and wrung the air out of my lungs again. My arms tightened. "Alice!" Her name tumbled from my lips this time flooded with desperation. I couldn't lose her, I wouldn't lose her! Lose her? Would she leave me?! Why? _Why... ?_

Loss and insecurity washed over me. At the thought of Alice... _leaving,_ shock instantly numbed my mind. That is a kind of agony that would have crushed me. My world was silenced. Void. Still I clung to Alice in the void. I could sense my family was still very near. Somehow, strangely, while my world crumbled out from under me I still managed to be standing in a very real place. Still in our home. Still in the living room. Somehow I sensed this, though my eyes dare not leave Alice's face and everything beyond her face is still a blur to me. Unimportant. Not real.

Her glossy black spikes, her white brow now wrinkled with worry, her golden eyes searching mine. There's fear in her eyes. Fear and love. She's searching deep into my eyes, desperate to help me. She doesn't realize the only thing I need is for her to stay. And yet this confuses me... Alice stay? She's my foundation, I know she'll stay. _I know this._ There is no question.

My breath comes again, not for the need of oxygen but to verify that she's actually in my arms. To fill my lungs with her fragrance, my heart with her being. She's here. Standing here in my arms she's contradicting my emotions. Contradicting the sheer panic that tells me that she's gone already. I've lost her. Her scent revives me, brings focus to my senses. I can feel again, the numbness easing back. Her emotions reach out to me. Her love, love for me. Her worry and concern that's edging towards panic. I want to erase her worry, erase her panic. I only want to see a smile on her face again. I want to see her happy again. Happy with me, so the torturous worries of her leaving me can be burned away!

"Alice, don't go."

Her confusion is stronger now. Her's and the other's. Everyone is here now. Everyone is concerned, confused. She's talking to me, reassuring me, but her words are lost. Blown away in the winds of this horrid storm.

Suddenly something's breaking through the confusion and pain. A voice. When no other voices, no other sounds have reached through this raging storm to find me, one frail voice is clear. This one voice reaches through the pain, because this one voice owns it. This is not _my_ pain.


	3. Chapter 3: Loss

**I own nothing of Twilight. This world and it's inhabitants are the creation and property of Stephenie Meyer.**

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**_A Shared Dream: Chapter 3, Loss._**

**_(Jasper's POV.)_**

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"He's gone."...

Bella. She barely mumbled it, barely breathed the words, but every eye in the room shot to her. She shivers drawing in her next breath, lips quivering. A tiny frown is marring her pale face. Her eyelids are closed but beneath them her eyes roam, shooting back and forth in her dream. In her nightmare. A nightmare founded in memory not imagination.

In the next second my world came crashing back to me and with it the clarity of my senses. The room is solid and has thankfully stopped spinning. My family members are vivid and clear. Real again. I can feel all of their emotions now. Sense who is feeling what, though for a moment there is not much to feel. Apart from the torturous agony emanating from this sleeping human on our couch the room is void of much besides shock.

"He's gone." The frown on her brow is more pronounced now. Her head shakes from side to side, and her breathing grows fitful. One hand is slightly raised, fingers reaching with longing and a trickle of hope. Another cold wave of pain rolls off her and crashes into me and with aching resignation her hand falls limply back to the couch cushion.

Sympathy and sorrow bubble up through the shock as understanding creeps in among us.

Edward is on my right. Like Esme and Carlisle, he'd rushed in from the kitchen when the first wave of pain had shocked me to my feet and knocked the air from my lungs. His eyes flickered from Bella's face to mine. Realization was already growing in them, but horror struck hard when the pieces came together solidly. He'd known my thoughts. He'd heard my panic and worries triggered by the terror, by the pain and agony. _Her_ terror. _Her_ pain. _Her_ agony.

"He's... " Edward was across the room and pulling her into his arms before she could whimper 'gone'. Confusion mingled with Bella's pain. Hope and insecurity battle in her head.

"Shh... Bella." With each stroke of his hand on her face relief washes over and dulls the pain. "Bella, I'm here. I'm here, shhh..." Love and relief flood in at the sound of his whispers. My 'extra sense' isn't needed to see this clearly. Bella's expression smooths again, all the suffering washed away. She reaches her face towards Edward's neck and for the first time since she's had our full attention she breaths deeply filling her lungs. Her muscles seem to relax as the painful memory fades.

"Edward... ...love you." She mumbles sleepy words and half statements but her thoughts are conveyed completely. For a moment, that tiny frown reappears. She snuggles closer into his chest and her hands clench onto the fabric of his shirt. Her last word is a whimpered and broken plea, "...stay". If I weren't already worn down completely from Bella's earlier crash of emotions, Edward's sudden sharp stab of pain would have me doubled over.

"Always, Love." His words are murmured just for her but we are all audience to their private moment; our senses too keen not to hear and our minds still too shocked to turn away. "I love you, Bella. I'll stay with you always. Forever." He's putting in every effort to sooth her suffering but his own pain puts a quiver in his voice and unable to speak further, he softly hums her lullaby. The musical tones are faint even to my sensitive ears but holding her closely, gently kissing her brow then resting his cheek there, her whole body goes limp with the melody.

She takes another deep breath in and quivers as she breaths out releasing the last of her tension. Bella's eyes beneath her lids are finally still and peaceful, her fingers are unclenched and her breathing has become relaxed and even. She's clearly been drained by the extra effort of her nightmare and in Edward's arms she's quickly falling into a deep sleep.

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_**July 15th, 2008. Author's Note:**_ This chapter was missing some bits & peices... I just had to update it. Mainly I added to Bella's reaction to Edward & his dialogue. I hope you guys enjoy it!


	4. Chapter 4: Dazed

**I own nothing of Twilight. This world and it's inhabitants are the creation and property of Stephenie Meyer.**

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_**A Shared Dream: Chapter 4, Dazed.**_

**_(Jasper's POV.)_**

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It's been a quiet hour. Or two? I usually know the time, but I'm still dazed. That crushing wave of Bella's nightmare left me mentally and emotionally exhausted. The experience seems to have had a similar effect on my entire family.

I'd immediately fallen back onto the couch I'd earlier been sitting at the edge of and I pulled Alice down along with me. After a long moment Carlisle and Esme had taken seats on the couch across from Alice and I. Rosalie took her place again, sitting next to them now and Emmett had returned to his seat on the floor, but leaned back against Rosalie's legs instead of resuming the forgotten game. At some point a music station had replaced the game's menu screen. I'm not sure who switched it or when but I can hear the soft music filling our house. Murmured voices are coming from the other two couches, but I'm too focused on my Alice to pick out words.

Edward and Bella are still on the couch to my left. Thankfully in deep sleep Bella's emotions leveled into a peaceful contentment that's actually rather soothing on my worn nerves. Fear had tingled in the back of my mind at some point... fear another dream or nightmare would hit. I didn't want to get up, didn't want to move but I couldn't bear another assault. The thought barely entered my mind when Edward set me at ease, assuring me she only dreamt early in the night. Once deep sleep overtook her she would stay at peace until morning.

Edward was the last of us to find rest. I'd shied away from his emotions and focused on the angel in my arms until Esme's and Carlisle's comforting words had given him solace.

I let my thoughts wander and time drifted again. It might have been another hour before I was pulled from my daze. Alice giggled in my arms and joy coursed through me at the sound.

"What?" I look down at her beautiful face. We're still laying on the couch together. My arms won't open to release her from me, and I don't want them to. Not tonight. I know the pain of loss was not mine but I felt it running cold through my veins and at just the thought of it I shudder. At the mere memory my arms tighten around Alice again. Her eyes sparkle up at me, her smile bright again.

"Tomorrow. It's perfect" Her voice a light jingling of bells.

Of course she's seen it. My decision is rock solid. I'm not letting my little pixie out of my site or out of my arms until daybreak. And tomorrow will be much of the same. Just us, alone together. There's a place we've been in the mountains. A little natural cave cut into the rocks with an amazing view of mountain lakes, valleys and the Pacific Ocean. We can make a fire and watch the flames dance while I hold her tightly. This is my heaven. This angel in my arms.

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The End. 

This is my first fan fiction ever! Let me know what you think. :)

Sorry, I know I had some issues with tenses througout the story. I'm honestly not a 'writer', just a huge fan of Twilight. So I appologize if I mixed up "was & is", and "-ed &-s".

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